This fall Transform Minnesota is hosting United in Freedom: an experience intended to overcome racial division in the body of Christ.
The first session of our 3-part experience was about awareness, and was held on October 20th at Shiloh Temple International Ministries. Dr. Mahmoud El-Kati, esteemed history professor at Macalester College taught about America’s deep-rooted issues of economic and educational disparity.
“What you study in school is not really history. The curriculum is a form of propaganda of indoctrination, for black people of subjugation. It’s American white supremacy curriculum. We are afraid to say that,” said Dr. Kati.
Dr. El-Kati challenged participants to think about the construct of race as a hoax perpetrated against the human family.
“Racism is an action, race is an idea,” said Dr. El-Kati.
El-Kati encouraged participants to learn their own historical realities and to learn about the struggles of other people groups. [pullquote style=”left” quote=”dark”]Racism is an action, race is an idea…[/pullquote]
“Where there is no struggle, there is no progress,” said. Dr. El-Kati. “When you give a man a history you give him a personality. When you give him a personality you extend to him humanity.”
Many participants were motivated to effect change in the communities they live in, serve and minister to.
“The biggest take away for me is being able to see how intentional these leaders want to be around transforming their community. It’s a fantastic sight to see how many people are truly passionate about it,” said Butchy Austin of Substance Church. [pullquote style=”right” quote=”dark”]Where there is no struggle, there is no progress…[/pullquote]
The United in Freedom experience fostered personal dialogue and mutual learning between leaders of different racial experiences through small group discussions.
“My hope is that we can take it to some action points because I think sometimes we’ve talked about it, but we haven’t been able to translate it into action that really brings about lasting change,” 
said Rev. Ralph Gustafson, Executive Minister for Church Relations at Bethel University.
By identifying the implications of our history, Transform Minnesota believes that participants will begin to adequately understand our present situation.
Join us on November 3rd and November 17th as we embark on part 2 & 3 of this unique experience.
Rev. Efrem Smith, founding pastor of The Sanctuary Covenant Church in Minneapolis, and author of “The Post-Black and Post-White Church” will lead us in the second part as we explore the vision that the members of the Kingdom of God are a brotherhood, and the church can be the solution to overcoming current racial divisions.